| Reviews & Columns |
|
Reviews DVD TV on DVD Blu-ray 4K UHD International DVDs In Theaters Reviews by Studio Video Games Features Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Interviews DVD Talk Radio Feature Articles Columns Anime Talk DVD Savant Horror DVDs The M.O.D. Squad Art House HD Talk Silent DVD
|
 DVD Talk Forum |
|
|
| Resources |
|
DVD Price Search Customer Service #'s RCE Info Links |
|
Columns
  
 
|
|
|
Dallas: Complete First & Second Season
Warner Bros. // Unrated // August 24, 2004
List Price: $49.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
THE EPISODES
It has been a long time since Dallas first hit the television airwaves way back in 1978. When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of the show, but not having seen the episodes since they first aired, I was wondering if they would still hold up – or if they'd seem kind of silly and melodramatic.
It has been a long time since Dallas first hit the television airwaves way back in 1978. When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of the show, but not having seen the episodes since they first aired, I was wondering if they would still hold up – or if they'd seem kind of silly and melodramatic.
 |
For those of you whose only memory of Dallas is the late-1980's, when they tried for too much "glitz and glamour" and gave us that dreadful "dream season," you should know that the show wasn't always like that. Yes, the Ewing family was always rich – but the wealth was never the centerpiece of the show. The show concentrated on family problems that the viewing audience could relate to, and that was one of the main reasons it was such a hit.
 |
Those not familiar with the show's early beginnings will note a few interesting things in these first two seasons. The first bit of trivia is the fact that the ranch used in Season One isn't the classic Southfork Ranch that would be used in the rest of the seasons. The look of the first five shows is quite different as well – since these were filmed in Dallas during a harsh February winter and everyone is so bundled up they look like they are in Minnesota instead of Texas!
 |
THE DVD
The DVDs in this set are "flippers," with three episodes on each side of the DVD (except for the final disc, which contains two shows and a Soap Talk special on the "B" side).
Video:
Each episode is presented in its original full-frame format, and the picture is very good for episodes that are 25 years old – although there is a bit of grain and dirt on the prints. However, there are few problems with compression or pixilation, and I was overall highly impressed with how good the shows looked.
Audio:
The audio is 1.0 Dolby, and while I would have enjoyed a 2.0 or higher remastering of the audio, it doesn't sound too bad. Some episodes however, have obvious drop-outs, where you can notice the audio dropping off for entire scenes and then picking up again later in the show. While these occurrences are a bit distracting, they aren't bad enough to hinder your enjoyment of watching the episodes.
Extras:
Although not extensive for a multi-disc release, I really liked the extras that were provided on this set.
 |
On the "B" side of Disc Five is Soap Talk's Dallas Reuinion a great 42-minute show that features interviews with Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray ("Sue Ellen") and Charlene Tilton.
THE BOTTOM LINE
These episodes are both fun an addictive to watch. They look and sound great considering their age, the commentary tracks (although I would have enjoyed a few more) are interesting and entertaining, and the reunion special is a hoot. Forget The OC or North Shore - for real nighttime soap fun, your only destination should be Dallas!
|
